


Stuck in New York

by Ricecake93



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Humor, Modern, Modern Era, Multi, Not a Modern Girl in Thedas, Romance, Slight slice of life, Thedosians in Modern World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-26 17:58:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7584289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ricecake93/pseuds/Ricecake93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Instead of Hawke or Stroud, the Inquisitor stayed behind in the fade and somehow stumbled into our crazy world. It's been four years since then without any hope of getting back home, and the Herald works as a private investigator for a living.</p>
<p>That is until one night, his friends stumbled out of a rift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Four Years Passed

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_“GO!!” Damien yelled as he pushed both the grey warden and Hawke towards the rift. “I can buy you all some time!”_

_Hawke’s eyes widened. “What? You’re the Inquisitor––! You can’t be serious––”_

_“Just go!! I have the mark and I can find another way back!” Without giving them a moment to choose, the Inquisitor already rushed into battle and with his staff, he burned off the tentacles that was hanging off the beast’s mouth._

_They started running towards the rift and the Herald shouted out to the warden, “Stroud!! Make sure your people repent for this!!”_

_Stroud stopped, looking back in shock._

_The Inquisitor managed to dodge the giant leg that nearly crushed him right then and there, but he continued to call out, “You must lead the Grey Wardens and watch out for them! Do you hear me!?”_

_“…I will, Inquisitor!!” It took a moment for Commander Stroud to call back before he went through the rift with Hawke._

_Damien separated from the beast for a moment to close the rift, leaving him alone with the giant spider._

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_There was only darkness between two tall rectangular buildings where he stumbled out of the rift––tired and weary. This was not the stone walls of Adamant, nor were there any signs of battle. In fact, there was trash everywhere from what he could make out, or how much it stank._

_At the end of the alley though there was a street with better lighting and so he limped over there. It was at that moment that he should have realized: he was far, far away from Thedas._

_“Stop that guy!!”_

_Damien looked over to see two men in the same black uniform chasing after a guy wearing a black mask. That masked person was heading straight for him. The Herald tried to turn him into frost, but nothing came out. He was confused, looking at his hands as he was unable to form any sort of magic._

_What?_

_“Out of the way, dipshit!!” The masked man decked him hard to the ground and the Herald fell on the cold sidewalk, his head hitting hard the cement._

_He saw only darkness next._

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That was four years ago when I stumbled into this world. The next thing I knew, I woke up elsewhere in someone else’s home; it was one of the officers’ apartment. Naturally, I thanked him before I asked what this place was and what day it was. I asked the whereabouts of Ferelden, Orlais, and the land of Thedas. Needless to say, he believed I hit my head hard too hard and had lost my sanity.

I have to say though, he was the most patient old man I ever met––Charlie Puckett is his name. I ended up being lucky to have found by him and to be fast friends with his daughter, Beatriz. For the first whole year, they didn’t believe a word of my origin or where I come from. I was completely lost in another world and I had to learn quickly to adapt.

This world is amazing; convenience is the ultimatum here. What may take hours or days in Thedas took seconds or minutes in this world. A travel of a hundred miles would have taken several days, but here it took an hour or two. Being here for months on end and finally accepting that magic didn’t exist, I learned to live and forget about my home, though it still felt like I abandoned them, especially the Seeker.

They finally believed me after the first year when Beatriz managed to get a week off from her work. She offered her father and me to go to the Grand Canyon with her and hike. While it was pleasant and amazing, it became an extraordinary day when my magic resurfaced. They were both stunned when they saw I burned the attacking mountain lion with a bit of fire from the palm of my hands.

When we left the Grand Canyon, my magic remained. It wasn’t as powerful as it was back in Thedas, but it was there and it was better than nothing. Even though I had my magic back, I still had no clue on how to return home. This world knew nothing about magic, and magic to them is just an illusion, a trick. I couldn’t even feel the fade, or the veil, yet somehow I can produce elemental magic and more.

Charlie joked about how I should enter America’s Got Talent, and I had consider it. Then I realized that I shouldn’t stand out at all, especially when I’m still trying to get back home all this time.

While I put all my time researching on how to get back, I also had to work. I didn’t want to leech off of Charlie and Beatriz all the time, so I ended up doing private investigating. It was apparently something Charlie did when he needed to do something outside the law and not get caught. He would find the time to do so in his weekend, and I would tag along.

I tried it, and though I was arrested a couple of times for stalking and for suspicious behavior, I got smarter.

So three years I’ve been a licensed private investigator of my own lone firm. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to pay the rent, put food on the table, and even getting a little something personal.

Today’s work has been interesting. I was hired by Mrs. Trent, who thinks her husband was cheating on his personal assistant. From what I’m seeing so far, Mr. Trent was cheating but with the personal assistant’s _brother_. Yup. Mr. Tent preferred males, or as this world would classify him as gay.

Leaving the expensive Italian restaurant they were in, I decided to take a walk back to my apartment. It’s only several blocks down, not worth to use the subway. And the night was still young.

Four years, I thought again.

I passed by one of the stores, and saw the poster of a game called the Elder Scrolls. Seeing the old armor––the ‘medieval’ as they call it––it made me long for home. How were they really? How were they faring against Corypheus? I had a plan that once I get back, I would get Dorian and the time amulet so that I could maybe perhaps go back in time all the way back to Adamant.

For a while now, I thought that they were gone because I was gone… because of that horrible future when Dorian and I were sent to by Alexius.

I had truly abandoned them.

Walking back to my apartment, I passed by the alley that overlooked the Brooklyn Bridge. I was across the street from it, but I recognized the alley because it was the same place from where I suddenly appeared. The whole place was dark but beyond that, the sight of bridge lit up with the moon being reflected upon the waters. It took my mind off for a moment.

Then, it happened.

A familiar pain shot up from my left hand. I gripped my wrist tightly as my hand shook and trembled. Pain, and a light of green appearing from a small tear on the palm of my hand.

The Mark.

Lightning was heard and I looked across the street to see a rift open, and about five people stumbled out of the rift. I stood there gaping as I recognized the moustache, the black hair with braids, the horns, the baldhead, and the crossbow.

No _fucking_ way.

I just stood there, watching in shock as they struggled to get up, looking around at their strange surroundings just as I have before. As they looked around, Varric stopped, looking straight at me. He called the others to notice my presence and they did look towards me with surprise. Dorian was talking, probably saying, ‘well that didn’t take long.’

“Damien!!” Cassandra called out and she was running straight for me.

I looked to my right and already saw a red Bugatti speeding down the empty street. Reacting quickly, I ran right for her.

“Cassandra!!”

At first, it may have been the most romantic reunion between us two, but instead of the embrace she was expecting, I tackled her, pushing her off the street, but I placed my hand behind the back of her head. Right at that moment, the car sped right behind us, just barely hitting us. We landed on the concrete, and I could hear the long sound horn of that mad driver while he cussed out, though his cusses faded in the background.

I turned back to Cassandra, who looked stunned, not expecting the tackle, but also realizing that she was almost hit by a speeding red car, thought she wouldn’t know it was a car. She probably thought it was a beast made out of metal, or she didn’t see it properly.

“Kaffas! What was that??” Dorian exclaimed.

Varric came up from behind with concern. “You two okay?”

“We’re fine,” I quickly replied as I helped Cassandra up to her feet.

“Ohh Maker, Damien––” I didn’t let her finish as I spun her around, my back towards the audience, before I kissed her lovingly. _Four fucking years_ I’ve missed this. She let out an unexpected moan but she started kissing back, which elated me.

Finally I parted the long winded kiss. I had to hold her up when she couldn’t keep herself steady.

I grinned at her. “It’s good to see you, Cass.”

She flushed a bit, her lovely cheeks turning crimson as she averted her eyes, perhaps embarrassed. But, she looked back at me and smiled, “It’s good to see you too…”

I think we stood there staring dreamily at each other for a while until one of our companions cleared out his throat. We both turned around to see the rest of the guys smiling at us.

“Whenever you’re ready, you two,” Varric said as they turned to Solas who was trying to open the portal again.

_Trying_ was an understatement.

Dread dropped in my stomach as we watched Solas struggling to open up the portal again. I could see it and the faint pain lingering on my left hand was present. Yet, he cannot open it. He was waving his hands a couple of times but nothing happened to the air.

“Something’s… Something’s wrong…” There was a slight panic in Solas’ tone and Dorian went over to his side to see if he could pull, but I knew there was nothing to pull at.

They have lost their magic.

“What’s going on?” Dorian demanded. It would have been hilarious to anyone else watching two males just waving their hands at nothing but the air, but to us it was different. It meant we lost our way back home.

“Ughh… Shit.” The Iron Bull cursed out.

The mark on my hand was visible and I stepped forward to try; the others moved away. I reached out, tugging at nothing but air, and yet, I felt it. It was thin and frail, and every time I would try to pull with effort, the fabric broke. The tear would open a bit but then fold right back to close seemingly.

This wasn’t working.

“You must try harder, Inquisitor!” Solas exclaimed, but I only shook my head stepping back. “It seems that the portal only reacts to you.”

“We don’t have enough power,” I told him, already knowing the problem of this world. “And it only reacts to me because I’ve gained back some of my connection to magic.”

They paused hearing that and Cassandra reached out to grab my arm. “What do you mean?”

I tried to think of an explanation, but then I realized I needed to ask them a very important question.

“Wait…How long have I been gone?” I turned around to face them and they looked at me warily.

Cassandra frowned at him. “It’s only been seven days.”

My eyes widened, hearing that answer and I felt hope radiating inside me yet at the same time there was dread or illness…nauseating illness. Still, my thoughts were racing. Time here moved faster than other world, and that was… a relief to me, even if it’s really shocking. My silence seemed to have them worried as they looked at me, waiting for an answer or an explanation.

“…Damien? What’s wrong?” She called out again, worried of my silence.

I shook my head.

“Cassandra… I’ve been stuck here for _four years_ ”

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	2. They're Actors Cosplaying

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Four years.

It took a while for them to register the huge time difference compared to my disappearance in Thedas of only seven days. For me, it was a relief. It meant the assassination attempt on Empress Celene hasn’t happen yet because the ball wouldn’t be for another three thedosian weeks.

Cassandra sputtered. “..Y–you can’t be serious. That is not possible, Inquisitor.”

“…I still can’t believe any of you are here,” I told them, shaking my head. Then a shaky laugh escaped from my lips, scaring them a bit. “This is insane…Hahahahahahah..!”

I was having what Beatriz had once called a mental breakdown. I was in the makings of it currently and it wasn’t helping out situation. Usually I had better composure than this.

Solas was brave enough to speak up. “Inquisitor, maybe we should start worrying on how to get back?”

Shaking my head at him, I walked away for a moment to think. Already, the first plan had surmised in my mind but getting there to the Grand Canyon was going to cost a lot of money. It would be cheaper to just bring Dorian and Solas with me since they’re mages like me, but it wasn’t wise to leave the three of them alone in my apartment and doing nothing. This was a lot of planning, trips, and money. Money, money, money. Do I have enough savings? I know Beatriz would be willing to spot in some cash, but it’s against my judgment to borrow money from her and her father again. I have to deal with the costs myself.

“Damien!” Cassandra called out, snapping me from my thoughts. I looked at them and they looked worried…and lost. Lost as I was.

“Hey! Look at them! That big guy with horns! Is he cosplaying?” A spectator shouted and I glanced to see young men pointing at our direction and taking pictures with their phones.

“They’re all cosplaying! See, some of them has armor!”

“Cool!”

Bless this world’s residents for being so _blissfully_ ignorant.

“Hrm… Big guy with horns? That’s not new.” Bull commented in a grumble, perhaps mistaking that they were insulting him.

Dorian asked, “But what’s _cosplaying_ , and why do they think we’re doing that?”

“They think all of you are dressing up and playing someone famous, like actors,” I simply answered. “And if you would notice, your clothing stands out from mine.”

They glanced down at their own outfits before looking at mine. Personally, I adore the fashion style of this world. It was stylish and slick but also very comfortable. I was wearing what others would call smart casual––not the stereotype detective with leather overcoat and trousers––jeans, blazer, and collared shirt.

“Come on, we can’t stay here.” I urge them to follow and left the closed, translucent tear in the air. Hopefully, no person would be able to notice it, at least not without getting up close to it.

Reluctantly, the others followed, knowing now that they couldn’t stand out here for long. Already as we walked, people were pointing and taking pictures. I didn’t think we’d be getting this much attention, but then again, Bull was a rare specimen.

Some brave few approached us. Youthful female teens in their skimpy outfits in such a cold night.

“Uhm, excuse me, can we get a selfie with you guys?”

Dorian quirked his brows at the phrase. “ _Selfie?_ ”

“They’d love to!” I immediately answered for them and while the girls squeaked for excitement and posed themselves in front of us, the others looked at me confused. I whispered quickly to them to just smile at the phone.

They didn’t know what a phone is of course until they saw it in the girl’s hand, lifted up high and it was a reflection of them.

“Smile!” The girl said, and I think they were more dubiously in awe at the camera that they forgot to smile.

“May I see?” I was curious now of the pic.

“Yeah sure, here!” she said, showing the screen to us. The picture showed the two girls smiling, but the rest were looking quite dumbfounded.

“Maker…” I hear Cassandra gasped.

“That device? What is it?” Dorian quickly inquired. “I’ve never seen anything that could capture the very essence of our figures.”

They giggled, finding his question merely a game, and nothing serious.

“You’re funny!” she said, shoving the Altus’s shoulder playfully as she started walking away with her friend, chatting rapidly.

“…That was a question!” Dorian argued, looking at me.

“They think you’re cosplaying.” I reminded him of the encounter of the two men from earlier.

Varric surmised, “So…they think we’re actors? And we were acting?”

I only nodded and kept walking. Soon, they were exposed to comments like horns, or asking Bull what he was, and even asking Varric if he’s really a dwarf or just a midget man, or even asking Solas if his ears were real, add-on’s, or a body modification.

It took half an hour for us to reach the apartment building that I live in. The streets were empty since it was more of a neighborhood than it was a clubbing area.

Solas began, “Inquisitor––”

“Damien.” I told him.

“Pardon?”

“Inquisitor is not my title here. Just Damien,” I told him. “What is it, Solas?”

“The questions those humans have asked… it’s like they don’t see other races often enough.” He noted.

And there was that question. I only nodded to him while I pressed the button for the elevator going up.

I answered casually, “That’s because only humans exist in this world, Solas.”

There was shock written all over on their faces. A world of only humans.

“Then how do they know what we are?” Varric questioned.

“Books. Movies. Elves and dwarves are just fiction and fantasy in this world. Same goes for Qunari.” I started explaining to them.

“Movies?” Cass inquired.

“Moving pictures.” I clarified.

Her brow raised. “Their pictures can move?”

“Through the workings of technology, and not magic,” I said and then clarified, “In fact, there is _no_ such thing as _magic_ in this world.”

Again, they were floored.

“No magic… Really, Boss?”

“No magic… I don’t even think demons exist here, or at least, this world doesn’t believe they exist.”

There was silence now as I let them ingest all that heavy information. Soon the elevator doors opened, drawing wary looks from the others. It took me a minute or so to coax them inside the elevator.

When it started going up, I felt an arm latched around mine. I turned to see Cassandra’s beautiful face. She seemed shock herself that she grabbed unto me and she started to pull away. Undeterred, I reached out and took her hand. I’m sure she felt even more embarrass. I was holding her hand in the elevator with four other witnesses. Not that they noticed since they were more caught up in the moving box they were in–––except maybe Bull and Varric notice but they wouldn’t voice out and embarrass the Seeker.

Thankfully, she didn’t pull her hand away.

“This… We’re going up?” Cass managed to ask.

“Up to my apartment. I’ve settled in sort of, but that is what entails of the four years I was stuck here,” I told her. “I had to…adjust myself to this world. This world with no demons or magic… No title or any family relatives. I stumbled upon here with only the clothes on my back.”

“Well… shit.” Varric voiced out. “How did you managed to survive for four years here, Inky?”

“Inky?” I smiled. I think I missed being called that by Sera.

“I’ll think of something. Can’t just call you by your first name,” he said, grinning a bit yet there was concern in his eyes. “But back to my question…”

“…I was helped by two most charitable people when they found me. Took them a year to believe my story, but still, they did more than anyone else. Hopefully, you all would get to meet them…” My smile turned wryly as I thought aloud, “After all… we’re all going to be stuck here in this world for a little while longer.”

“I don’t know about you, but I rather like it here––not this ‘thing’ we’re in but the outside, and the lights. I’ve never seen such buildings reaching so high to the sky,” Dorian gushed a bit in his own flare that I sort of really missed. In fact, I absolutely missed all of them and their banter was fondly still fresh in my head.

The elevator stopped and we got off. Sadly it meant Cass and I had to stop holding hands for the moment. I led them down the hall but stopped, noticing Tevin was on the floor next to my door, all curled up. I approached him slowly, hearing him breathing evenly. Sleeping, perhaps?

I reached out shaking him. “Tevin. Tevin, Wake up.”

“Nnghhh… is it morning?” He asked, groggily lifting his head to look at me. His brown eyes were glassy and red. I really disapprove of him intoxicating with drugs. His gaze lazily turned upwards, seeing my companions. “…Am I dreaming?”

Yup. He’s high.

Sighing, I got out my key and unlocked my door, opening it wide. “Head in first and make yourselves comfortable. I need to bring him to his room.”

With uncertainty, they shuffled right inside my apartment while I hauled Tevin up to his feet and dragged him to his room. The things I do for neighbors and strangers…

Returning to my apartment, I noticed it was all still dark.

“Fasta vass! Where are the candles here? It’s too dark.” Dorian cursed after he hit the table, I’m sure.

Ahh, like me, I didn’t know anything of lightbulbs and Thomas Edison. So surely they wouldn’t know of the switches, and they were searching for candles instead. Do not laugh, Damien, I chided myself.

“You know Dorian, your _sparks_ would have been useful here.” Bull said. This was an inside joke I have not heard yet, or… was it related to the curtains being set on fire? I wasn’t sure, but certainly, the altus would feel embarrass.

A grumble responded. “Don’t remind me of that.”

Watching them wandering around the dark was very amusing, but I had to flip the switches. The lights turned on and they blinked their eyes, adjusting to the sudden lighting. I glanced at the clock. It was almost eight thirty and I was getting hungry. Though I was leaving from an Italian Restaurant, all I ordered was tea. Had to make an elaborate story that I was there for a date and said date had stood me up, allowing me to stay longer and take shots of Mr. Trent. Which reminds me, I need to get those photos uploaded…but later.

“So… who’s hungry?”

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	3. Pizza and Beer Cans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damien explains the plan to them.

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“This… Mmm..! This is pretty good, boss,” Bull commented before taking another bite of the cheesy dough with pepperoni, onions, green peppers, mushroom, and olives.

Varric agreed. “It’s strange but pretty tasty, Your Inquisitorialness.”

“It looks so simple and yet the texture is complex, Inquisitor.” The resident elven apostate responded.

“I never had bread with so much cheese, and this red sauce underneath.” Cass chimed in.

“What did you call this, Inquisitor?” Dorian asked. “Pee...za?”

“ _Pizza_.” I emphasized before adding, “And I really need to get you all to stop calling me ‘Inquisitor’ and ‘Boss’ here in this world. It’s just… too strange for this reality’s concept.”

They slowed down eating, remembering that I had told them to call me by my first name. I realized it would take some time, but it would raise too many brows if they don’t pick up fast.

“…As good as this is Inquisitor––Damien, ahem. Excuse me… But we must find a way back.” Solas said to me, getting back with the importance as he placed his pizza back down on the paper plate. “..Even if we technically do have a lot of time, and I’m eager to learn more of this world.”

I smiled a bit at that. “We would run out of time before you could even learn half of how this world works. Four years here weren’t enough…”

Cassandra cut in, “But we do need to get back, Inqui––Damien. I assume you have a plan?”

“We lack power,” I began. “So I need to bring Solas and Dorian to the place where I regained my magic. Once all three of us have magic, we come back here and try to open the portal together.”

Bull raised a brow. “That plan sounds simple… too simple.”

“Because it’s not simple,” I affirmed his suspicions. “The place where we’re going is over a thousand miles away and that means transportation costs––money that I don’t have. I figured I should only take Solas and Dorian with me to minimize costs, but I’m worried of leaving the rest of you here in this world that you barely know anything about… Especially, you, Bull. If they find out you’re actually a real, and not painted with makeup or fake horns, the police–––or maybe even the secret service––would come and take you away… and believe me when I say, we don’t have any power to go against this nation’s government.”

They paused listening deeply as I only continued with a sigh of the sad truth, “...Thankfully, this world’s humans are what I like to call _blissfully **ignorant.**_ Most of them don’t believe magic or spirits exist. That’s why they just look at you, Bull, and think you’re wearing a costume. The same goes to you, Solas, because from what I hear they can put fake yet realistic elf ears on humans, or they cut the tip of their ears and stitch up the gap so that they would have pointy ears enough to pass as an elf.”

Solas furrowed his brows at that. “That’s…! Why would they ever want to do that? What would drive them to look like elves?”

“Fantasy. Fans of Fantasy books. Technically, elves, dwarves, dragons, faeries––etcetera––are all fantasy to them, and…some people of this world called Earth likes to dress up in their favorite character, or they would like to imagine themselves as something they’re not…” I tried to explain as best I could. There is more to it than that which Beatriz had tried to explain.

“Shit… this place is weird, though I kind of get it. Like little kids playing dress-up?” Varric asked.

“Yes, but since they’re adults, it would be called cosplaying,” I brought up the word again. “And Beatriz told me it’s a cherished culture and it’s not something to understand unless you try it for yourself… Either way, it’s still strange, but they’re having fun.”

“How do they find the time to do such things?” Cassandra asked. “Do people not have to work here?”

“You all are going to find that convenience is the ultimatum here due to technology.” I then tapped the pizza box. “Like for example this pizza was cooked in what? 10-15 minutes? Then they deliver it here in less than ten minutes from five miles away because of cars.”

“Cars? Are those that thing that kept passing us on the black pavement?” Dorian asked. “The one that nearly hit our dear Seeker here?”

“Yes.” A spike of anger shot through me as I recall that moment. I just had her and then I had almost lost her because of that driver. I added, “They can go… fast. Very. Very fast.”

We talked more and I tried to tell them more of this world until my phone beeped.

It was a text message.

“What was that?” Cassandra asked.

I took out my phone and their eyes darted right at the little device. Dorian leaned in and pointed out, “That looks exactly like what those people had on the streets when they asked if they could take pictures or _selfies_. You have one, Inquis–I mean Damien?”

Solas leaned in as well. “Why and how did it make a noise?”

“I don’t know how this cellphone was built, Solas, but I know how it works, and that beep means I have a message.” Swiping the locked screen, I immediately went to the message inbox, finding that the text came from Mrs. Trent who needed an update on her husband’s situation. Shaking my head, I texted her back that she needed to come tomorrow with half of the remaining payment and I’d give her the answer.

“What are you doing?” Varric asked. They had all stopped eating their pizzas and were watching me with keen interest.

Once I sent the text, I started to explain again, “This phone doesn’t only take pictures… It can send and receive messages from very far away _nationally_ in an instant.”

Their jaws dropped a bit.

“You mean… you don’t have to send a crow?” Dorian asked.

“Nope. Just through this phone and they get it in a matter of seconds.”

The Altus shook his head in disbelief. “That’s… how does it even work without magic?”

Bull then cut in, “More importantly, who were you sending a message to and why, b–…Damien?”

“…I am currently working as a Private Investigator. People ask me to investigate and I go gather clues and evidence for them until the case is solved.”

“Huh, that’s interesting. What was the message about?” Varric asked, and already he’s probably noting things down for his future books.

I only shook my head at him. “Nope. Sorry. Client Confidentiality.”

“Not even a little bit?” He pried a bit more. “Maybe you can describe what sort of clients you get? Like what cases you already solved?”

“…Most of my cases involve… stalking and taking pictures,” I began to explain and their brows raised with interest. “…To put it short, they ask me to find out if their significant other is cheating on them.”

There were a few moments of silence before some of them started between sniggering, smirking, and howling laughter. I only shake my head as I turned to look at Cassandra, and she had this incredulous look upon her face but also a smirk.

She actually giggled. “Really?”

“Yes. As long as it puts food on the table.”

“So…” Bull drawled out. “…Technically, you creeped around for three years?”

“I do not ‘creep’ around!” I said so indignantly before munching on my pizza while the rest of them laughed again. Ingrates.

When the laughter died, Varric came around to inquire, “So how much would your client give you tomorrow?”

“I’ve been following the target for two days and I’ve asked the client to put down 200 dollars in advance so… 248 dollars…” I started calculating in my head and then I saw confusion upon their faces. I added, “To sum it up, I just made roughly around 5 sovereigns.” Assuming a dollar is worth 1 silver.

Their brows raised in surprised at my income, whether it was good or bad, I wasn’t sure yet.

“Five sovereigns in two days just for stalking and taking pictures?” Dorian stated. “Money shouldn’t be a problem then.”

“…This whole place costs 26 sovereigns a month to rent,” I started explaining, and their jaws went slack. “I have taxes, bills, and expenses to pay so probably more sovereigns taken away. Plus, I have college loans that I need to pay off for getting my license as a private investigator… It’s…” I trailed off, seeing their worried looks. “…It’s going to take time. We’ll get out of here, but it’s going to take a while, now that we have an opportunity.”

Silence fell for the rest of dinner. Talk only returned after I served them some soft drinks and beer. Varric and Bull took the carbonated drinks very well and were hooked to it. The burping was not something they expected, but they enjoyed it.

While I was putting away the food and throwing out the trash, Cassandra started to ask me a very important question.

“Damien… what happened?” she asked.

“About what?”

“In the Fade… what happened?” She asked more seriously now and banter once again fell into silence.

I hesitated a moment before sighing and answering, “…I… was trying to fight off a colossal spider. Mind you, I never liked spiders, and… there was no way I could win against a thing like that. So, I started running while it chased me... I was in the ravine of mountains too narrow for it to reach. It didn’t take long for the Nightmare demon that we had slain to come back whole and new.”

“Andraste’s tits.” Varric muttered out and Bull only added, ‘fucking demons’ under his breath.

I sat down to join them once I opened a beer can. “…so I kept evading them until I reached an area where I thought they couldn’t follow.”

“What area of the fade, Inquisitor?” Solas asked with apt attention. “What did it look like?”

“It… it was strange… You see those tall buildings out there? Imagine all of them toppled down, becoming nothing more but scorched debris that littered the streets. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen… Before I could explore more of it, the Nightmare demon came after me where his pet couldn’t follow, and I ran inside a building that was still intact… that was when I saw a mirror.”

“A mirror?” Both Solas and Varric cut in that they looked at each other for a moment at the coincidence.

I raised a brow at them but only continued, “Yes, a mirror, tall and wide––the only thing intact, which I thought was strange. The Nightmare was already at my heels and when I took a step back, I fell right into it… Then I came out from where you five stumbled out.”

“That was an eluvian mirror, Inquisitor. Varric, you’re familiar with it?” Solas asked.

“Daisy possessed one but never got it working to everyone’s relief.” Varric answered. “But you said you fell right through and landed here of all places?”

I nodded. “Yes… I thought I was dreaming but… you can’t dream of something you have never seen before. I couldn’t do magic, and after months, I was starting to believe that I could never go home… I had believed I could never go home, and that this was now my home… Four years.”

“Why..? You have the mark on your hand, Damien,” Dorian pointed out, seeing the slight glow on my left palm. I could feel the familiar constant ringing pain but it was only so faint.

“This? The Mark? Ha! …This thing, nor that tear in the air, didn’t appear until you five came along,” I said and they had shock registered in their faces. “With no mark or even a tear in sight, I was completely stuck here.”

Varric took a sip of his beer, shaking his head before putting it down, saying, “Well… Shit.”

“Exactly!”

“…Well… now we have a way back,” Cassandra began to say. “We have a plan to get back, and as you say, we have plenty of time. Just tell us what you need us to do, Damien.”

A warm smile tugged upon my lips as I turned to her. “For now…? We rest… besides, how were you able to find me?”

“When you closed the rift at adamant, another tear opened but it didn’t bring about demons,” Solas began to explain. “In fact, it was closed, but I deduced that the only way for you to return was for us to take you back.”

Varric continued, “We had to bring in a bunch of mages to power up the tear so it would open up.”

“So… in the workings of a theory, you all decided to power up something you barely understand just to get to me?” I asked, grinning. “I’m flattered.”

Bull laughed out. “Only for you, Boss.”

Dorian supported, “Yes. Mind you, we need to be commemorated for this bravery. The five companions jumping into the dangerous rift, arriving in an unknown world, and rescuing our Inquisitor in distress.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “And then the five companions would have wandered aimlessly if their Inquisitor wasn’t there to greet them.”

He waved me off. “We don’t need to get into the details, Inquisitor––I mean, Damien.”

I frowned a bit. “…The name is going to take you all a while, huh?”

Grumbled responses of agreements were heard and the topic changed and returned to the phone in my hand.

I told them what I could of this world, given that we still had plenty of time, and though their attention was apt, I could see they were getting tired. It was time to hit the hay. It took me a while to figure out where to place them all to sleep. The couch in the living room could be converted into a double bed, so I figured Bull and Dorian could sleep on that. The sofa chair is a reclining chair so Varric can sleep on it. Then in my small office, there was a chaise lounge chair so I handed Solas a pillow and blanket to sleep on it. I was running out of blankets and pillows, but there were still enough for Cassandra and me.

We had slept before together. This wasn’t anything new but it was something I missed. While she was taking her armor off, I went through my drawers, getting out the smallest shirt I could find.

“This place… it’s all so strange and unfamiliar.” Cassandra spoke. “…You would be right that if you were not there, we would be wandering aimlessly.”

“And possibly getting run over cars,” I added. “…Are you alright?”

“I should be asking you that, Damien,” she said as she approached me. Her hand reached out to caress my cheek and I couldn’t help but to take that hand and rub against it. She continued, “Four years…”

“…Yes. Four years without seeing you…just thinking of you, everyone else… the Inquisition… Corypheus… had he won or not? I was… I felt like I abandoned all of you. I did abandon you all.”

“If there would have been any other way, you would have taken it, Damien, I know this,” she said. “…That doesn’t matter anymore. Now we have a way back to home.”

“I know…” I smiled and leaned in to kiss her upon the lips sweetly before I handed her my shirt.

She raised her brow. “What’s this?”

I grinned a bit slyly. “…Well… you can sleep more comfortably with this on.”

She narrowed her eyes at me but I could see the smile as she grabbed the shirt. She moved away to change but stopped. “…Well..?”

“…What? I can’t watch?”

“Damien..!”

“Alright!” I reluctantly turned around, facing the door and waiting for her to change. It seemed like minutes of torture until she finally said it was alright. When I turned around, I froze.

Fuck…

Strange thoughts would enter a man’s mind when they see his own woman wearing his shirt.

She raised a brow, smiling at my staring. “What?”

I didn’t give her a chance to speak again when I pulled her in for a heated kiss, and she complacently complied and kissed back. We fell into the sheets of the bed with blissful hot passion. A love rescinded becoming rekindled.

.

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End file.
